Server 2003 is the best Server OS (for now). It makes a good workstation (never used it for a server before). It sees to use less RAM than Windows XP when I look at it in Task Manager (after disabling services/hardware in both OS). It feels faster than XP as well.

This isn't a fair opinion as I have never used it for a real server role, I have no clue how well it performs under normal work.

_________________"Theory is when you know something, but it doesn't work. Practice is when something works, but you don't know why. Programmers combine theory and practice: Nothing works and they don't know why."

i think that windows xp sp1 uses less than windows server 2003 win xp-89mb windows server 2003 125mb thats how much ram was used on server and xp at start up for me
i have not yet tryed longhorn what is it like??
ive got one server on windows server 2003 and one on win xp pro sp2 2003 worked better as an ftp server than xp pro

Server 2003 I think, but I've only used it as a desktop (4 years of Server 2003 evaluations ftw!). It's nice and snappy, very stable and isn't too heavy on the ol' resources yet is up to date with hardware and software compatibility.

NT4's nice but getting too long in the tooth now for modern servers (though I don't doubt it's still very very usable for most applications) and 2000's just lacking that extra little something that makes it the XP of the server world.

Edit: Err... removed garbage text :/

Last edited by moonlit on Tue Feb 06, 2007 11:41 pm, edited 1 time in total.

NT4's nice but getting too long in the tooth now for modern servers (though I don't doubt it's still very very usable for most applications) and 2000's just lacking that extra little something that makes it the XP of the server world.

What does 2000 lack compared to 2003 that it fails to be the "XP of the server world"? I'd say it's just as fast and reliable as 2003.
And I'd like to know how people can judge a server OS in its native environment when they've never used it there?

I own legal (MSDN) copies of Win2000 Server and Advanced Server as well. Can't confirm or deny the differences regarding SMP, though, but it can likely be the 2003 kernel is more optimized, at least if we're talking about dual/multi core processors....

NT4's nice but getting too long in the tooth now for modern servers (though I don't doubt it's still very very usable for most applications) and 2000's just lacking that extra little something that makes it the XP of the server world.

What does 2000 lack compared to 2003 that it fails to be the "XP of the server world"? I'd say it's just as fast and reliable as 2003. And I'd like to know how people can judge a server OS in its native environment when they've never used it there?

I'm not actually sure what made me say that about 2000... so... can I withdraw that?

I give my opinion on my experiences with certain OS' and even though I haven't used them in a server environment I've still used them... I've no doubt all the Windows Server OS' are still completely fit for purpose (in fact I wonder why more people don't think so) but for the most part newer is, in this case (and in my opinion), better...

@moonlit
Of course you can withdraw – I mean, it's a subjective opinion, no offense intended. I was just asking because I couldn't quite understand what your point was about, exactly.
And I asked about the value of judging a server OS when it's not been used in a server environment because... well, it's like comparing a Ferrari and a Corvette or something like that and saying the Ferrari is better because it's more suitable for buying breakfast in the morning, i.e. driving to the bakery at 20mph. Do you understand what I mean? Just as you have to test sports cars on a race track, you have to use server OSes as servers to form a valid opinion. Just my $0.02.

Totally understand what you mean though, it wouldn't make sense for me to say "Windows x is the bext OS for servers..." if I'd never used it in a server/networking environment... On saying that though, the question isn't so much that, more "Which is the best Windows server OS?"